The close relationship between Cumberland and the Louisville Ursulines began in 1870 when Sisters Boniface Grassel, Xavier Wurm and Margaret Algeier opened classes at SS. Peter and Paul Parish. When Sister Dolores entered the Ursulines in 1956, she had followed approximately 75 other women from Cumberland who had joined the Ursuline Sisters of Louisville. Many of them also returned to Cumberland as teachers in the city's Catholic schools.

For many Ursulines, the Motherhouse is the place sisters come to live out their retirement years. But for sisters like Sister Dolores, it is also a place where their ministries can actively continue. Ursuline Sisters who reside at the Motherhouse call Louisville their home, but the sisters come from all over the United States in ministries that today take them to 13 dioceses in 11 states and Peru, South America. The Motherhouse' proximity to the campus' nursing facility makes it a convenient place for Sister Dolores to call home.

"Living at the Motherhouse makes it possible for me to be available immediately, even in the middle of the night, when a resident of Marian Home is dying or some other emergency arises," she said.

Living at the Motherhouse also allows her to assist with the day-to-day needs of the other sisters living there. Sister Dolores is often behind the wheel of the community's van answering a resident's need for transportation. Sister Dolores also appreciates the social aspects of living in a community setting with the other sisters at the Motherhouse, which includes Sister Rosemary Nevy and Sister Blanche Spriggs, both Cumberland natives.

Though Sister Dolores works with older adults, she still continues to practice many of the same coordination and communication skills she learned as a teacher and principal. She spends a lot of time at Marian Home visiting with the residents to learn of their personal needs and then trying to meet those needs. She schedules priests for the daily Mass in the facility's onsite chapel, arranges prayer services and performs other duties related to the chapel. She is a member of Marian Home's admission committee and pastoral care team, and she participates in the care plan evaluations of residents. Sister Dolores often accompanies residents to hospital emergency rooms and takes her turn sitting with the dying.

Her work schedule is much like it was when she was a principal - on call when needed. Though her Marian Home position is a five-day-a-week job, in reality, she ministers seven days a week.

Another similarity her current job has with her past one as principal is dealing with staff and staffing issues.
"Often a nurse, someone in dietary or housekeeping just needs to confide in someone," Sister Dolores said. "I think they come to me because I am an Ursuline Sister. I try to be a good listener."

Another responsibility Sister Dolores's is serving as coordinator of the Ursuline Sisters' pre-retirement program. In order to help sisters nearing retirement age make preparations, she trained to administer the "pre-retirement inventory" and conduct follow-up sessions on the results. Sister Dolores leads two groups who meet periodically to discuss the topic of retirement.

Efforts to renovate the Ursuline Motherhouse in Louisville and make it more ADA accessible and user-friendly for the aging sisters are underway. Renovating the Motherhouse allows sisters the opportunity to remain active in their ministries, especially when those ministries are like Sister Dolores's - on call at all hours and within walking distance. The Motherhouse renovations foster the sisters' ability to remain active physically, mentally and spiritually as they age, preparing for future years as more sisters come home to the Motherhouse.

Click here to find out more about the Ursuline Motherhouse renovations.